When Working Out Doesn’t Quite Work

Why some people actually gain weight when they start an exercise routine

By Justin Paprocki

A funny thing happens when people exercise to lose weight: Sometimes, they accidentally start packing on the pounds.

The reasons are fairly logical. First off, exercise makes you hungry. When you’re hungry, you eat—sometimes too much and not of the right thing. So, you end up negating all that time on the treadmill. It could also be the case that the anticipation of exercise actually makes you less active during the day. So, you’re not burning as many calories as expected.

As theAsk Well blog points out, the best way to avoid this problem is to look at the bigger picture. Exercise will help, but only if you’re eating right.

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